Desk attachment for bleacher seats



Jan. 1, 1957 D- E. VANCE DESK ATTACHMENT FOR BLEACHER SEATS Filed July 29, 1955 IN VENTOR DONALD E. VANCE 2 la- 2 111 r5 ATTORNEYS nited States Patent DESK ATTACHMENT FOR BLEACHER SEATS Donald E. Vance, Champaign, lll. Application July 29, 1955, Serial No. 525,238

2 Claims. (Cl. 31117) This invention relates to a portable writing desk de signed to be attached to bleacher seats.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a desk attachment that can be used by spectators at sporting events and other public functions, which will make the taking of notes, score keeping, etc., more convenient.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type indicated with means for releasably securing the device to a bleacher seat, thus making the device portable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the type indicated which is compact and which occupies a minimum of space.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of the type referred to above wherein the desk is hingedly connected to provide easy ingress and egress to the users seat.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a portable desk as referred to supra which is non-complex in structure, and which may be easily and economically manufactured.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the device shown in its operative position.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the desk top partly in section.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the attachment showing the desk top in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the attachment.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral indicates, generally, a desk attachment secured to a conventional bleacher seat 12. The attachment is seen to include a substantially rectangular base member 14 provided with oppositely disposed downwardly depending front and rear flanges 16 and 18, respectively, formed integrally therewith.

The front flange 16 is provided with a centrally positioned internally threaded aperture 20 adapted to receive a threaded clamping bolt 22 which has a frusto-conical abutment member 24 rotatably secured to one end thereof, adapted to abut the front edge of the bleacher seat 12, and a manually operable handle 26 fixedly secured to the other end thereof adjacent the outer side of the front flange 16. A lock nut 28 is threadedly engaged on the clamping bolt 22 adjacent the inner side of the front flange 16.

An inverted substantially U-shaped bracket 3d having oppositely disposed front and rear arms 32 and 34, respectively, and a bight 36 is fixedly secured to the base member 14, as by welding or by other conventional means. As is seen in the drawing, the front arm 32 converges inwardly toward and is of a length relatively greater than the rear arm 34 whereby the bight 36 slopes gently downwardly from the front arm 32 to the rear Patented Jan. 1, 1957 ice 2 arm 34. A pair of longitudinally spaced and coaxially aligned hinge barrels 38 are fixedly secured to one edge of the bight 36.

A conventional desk top 40, having a writing portion 42 and an arm rest portion 44 is provided, having a pair of hinge plates 46 fixedly secured to the underside thereof by conventional means 47. Each of the hinge plates are provided with a hinge barrel 48 at each end thereof, with the barrels disposed in coaxial alignment. The hinge barrels 38 are adapted to be positioned in coaxial alignment with and intermediate the hinge barrels 48 of each hinge plate 46, in which position a pintle pin 50 is inserted in the coaxially aligned units, whereby the desk top 40 is pivotally secured to the bracket 30.

The attachment 10 as described can be quickly and easily secured to a bleacher seat 12 by engaging the rear flange 1% against the rear edge of a bleacher seat and tightening the clamping bolt 22 against its front edge. When the desk is in its operative position, the user is afforded facile ingress and egress by swinging the desk top as from its normally horizontal position to a vertical position as is best illustrated in Figure 4.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The primary object of the removable tablet arm attachment is to provide auxiliary classroom and study facilities for crowded schools. The principle here, of course, is when the gymnasium is not used for spectator seating or for physical education, it can be readily used as a large lecture hall or study hall quickly by attaching these removable tablet arms to the bleacher seats.

What is claimed is:

1. A desk attachment for bleacher seats of the type having longitudinally extending seat forming boards comprising an elongated substantially rectangular base member having oppositely disposed downwardly extending flange integrally formed on the longitudinal ends thereof, said base member engaging one of said seat forming boards with said flanges engaging over the opposite front and rear edges thereof, one of said flanges being provided with a centrally positioned internally threaded aperture, a clamping bolt threaded within said aperture having a frusto-conical abutting member pivotally secured to the end of said bolt adjacent the other of said flanges and having a handle on the other end of said bolt remotely positioned relative to said other flange, a look not threadedly engaged on said bolt intermediate said frusto-conical abutting member and the inner face of said one flange, an inverted substantially U-shaped bracket havinga pair of oppositely disposed converging arms, said arms having the free ends thereof fixedly secured to the upper side of said base, a pair of hinge barrels fixedly secured to the edge of the bight of said bracket in longitudinally spaced relation in transverse relation to said seat forming board, a hinge plate having a hinge barrel at each end thereof, said first barrels being disposed intermediate said hinge barrels of said hinge plates, a pair of pintle pins extending through each series of coaxially aligned barrels, and said hinge plates being fixedly secured to the under side of a desk top.

2. A desk attachment for bleacher seats of the type having longitudinally extending flat seat forming boards comprising a'base member having downwardly extending flanges formed on the ends thereof, means on said base member for fixedly securing said base member to one of said seat forming boards in transverse relation thereto, an inverted substantially U-shaped bracket having an arm thereof converging inwardly toward its other arm, the free ends of said arms being fixedly secured to said base 639,611 Randa l l Dec. 19, 1899 10 4 Johnson Nov. 7, Muller Mar. 18, Barbour Jan. 5, Ponten et a1 Dec. 12, Brown et a1 Dec. 22, Harles May 29, Nold Oct. 2, Foote Feb. 16. 

